Container sealing machine



Sept. 8, 1959 K. WYSOCKI 2,902,809

CONTAINER SEALING MACHINE Filed Oct. 22, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Onfa\\m 7l IIII/ h u |IIIIII/ fl Z I. o n 7 Z I H Ill a 1 Ill m kw 0 W Hfl 6 6 J INVENTOR.

132112101 fi ymckz A 717' am Sept. 8, 1959 K. WYSOCKI 2,902,809

CONTAINER SEALING MACHINE Filed Oct. 22, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V ENTOR.

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Sept. 8, 1959 K. WYSOCKI CONTAINER SEALING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Oct. 22, 1956 INVENTOR. Kizzmzer BY WJoaki M WNW ATTORNEY.

2,902,809 CONTAINER SEALING MACHINE Kazmier Wysocki, Maywood, N..l.,assignor to- Chasi Pfizer & C'o., Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corp'oratlonof Delaware Application October 22, lssaserialNo. 617,401 13 Claims.(31. 53-429 This invention relates to a machine for sealing caps tocontainers, and more particularly to a machine for sealing caps ofdeformable material to containers having protruding lips.

Bottles or containers having protruding lipsar'e extensively used, forexample, in the pharmaceuticalindustry for packaginga multitude ofliquid, powder andsolid preparations. to as vials. These vials areconventionally sealed by means of a rubber stopper and closure'memberorcap'. The lower edge of the skirt of the cap is crimpe'cl or rolledunder the lip of the vial to securely seal the vial and protect itscontents from contamination. These caps are usually made of a' ductilemetal, suchasalumin um, to provide advantageous sealing characteristics.

For rapid production automatic means must beiusd for sealing thesevials. This automatic machinery should provide reliable sealingregardless'of slight variations'in bottle or cap structure, minimumspace occupancy, rapid operation, adaptability for efiicientpositioning'wit'h'respect to material handling facilities, and astructure which facilitates adjustment, maintenance'and repair. J I i HVarious sealing machines employing spinning heads have been proposed; Inthe spinning-head type machine, however, the speed of operation islimited-by structural complications, and it is diflicult to providemeans for ac,- commodating variations in vial and cap structures A typeof machine has been proposed in which bottle's and caps are graspedbetween rotating spindles mounted on a turntable, and thereby carriedagainst a forming shoe. A closing machine of this type is illustrated inUS. Letters Patent 1,227,244 issued May 22, 1917. In this known machinethe upper spindles are continuously rotatedby virtue of engagementofattached-spur gears with acircular internal ring gear. Continuousrotation of these spin"- dles complicates pick up and release of thebottles and the nited States PatefitO These containers are"commonlyre'ferred 2,962,809 I Patented Sept. 8, 1959 aiid'for receivingthe containers after the spindles have traversed the forming blade. Thecontainers accordingly have an exceedingly short path of substantiallystraightline travel through the machine which facilitates pick-upanddelivery as well as promoting a convenient straightline arrangementof the conveyors.

Since the spindles are rotated only in a short segment of their circleof travel and do not rotate when the containers are grasped andreleased, the device for positioningthe vials on the turntable and thedelivery and receiving arrangements are highly simplified. The locatingdevice, for example, may be provided in the form of simple pockets whichreceive and position the vials delivered by one conveyor and allow themto be easily picked off by the receiving conveyor.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the followingdescription in conjunction with the'accompanying drawings in which:

Fig; 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view partially broken away of the embodiment shown inFig. l;

Fig.1 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the embodiment 'shownin Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through Fig. 3

' a ong; the lines 4 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows; v I

Fig. 5 across-sectional view taken through Fig. 3 along the lines 55 andlooking in the direction of the I arrow continuous ring gear isexpensive to manufacture and difficult to adjust. I E v v Among theobjects of this invention 'is'to provide a simple machine for sealingcaps upon containers-which has a simple, efiicient and'compact structureand is capable of operating"atexceptionally high-speeds.--

provided having a relatively short forming blade which lies adjacent thepath of travel of a turntable holding rotatable spindles which grasp andcarrythecontainers. As the turntable rotates, containers and caps areforced into contact with the forming blade. The caps roll along theblade to be sealed. I Auxiliary means may be utilized to preventslippage between the forming blade and caps. These-means may beincorporated in the cap and forming blade themselves or may be providedby means respectively attached to the spindles and stationary portion ofthe machine. v H Conveyor means are disposed adjacentthe '{p'ath'j oftravel of the spindles for delivering'containersfto be grasped beforethe spindles traversethe forming blade I, Fig. 6is anenlargedcross-sectional view taken through Fig.12 along the lines 6-6 andlooking in the direction of th'e arrows;

Fig.- 7 is a cross-sectional view taken through Fig; 1 along; the line7-7 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

' Fig; 8 is a cross-sectional view taken through Fig. 7 alongjthe line8-8 and looking in the direction of the Q S;

Fig-. 9 is a plan view of a portion of another embodiment-of thisinvention; and

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the forming blade of another embodiment ofthis invention.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the overall configuration ofa container sealingmachine 10 which is a typical embodiment'lof the present invention. Themain portions of this machine are the base or cabinet 12, the splitturntable '14-and the forming blade support 16. A bonnet 18-cove'rs' androtates with the upper portion of the sealing machine which is dominatedby a handwheel 20 for adjusting the height of the turntable 14 in amanner later described in detail.

' .The-split turntable 14 includes an upper half 22 and a lower half 24(clearly shown in Fig. 6) which respectively I I carrythe cooperatinghalves 26 and 28 of spindles29. In accordance with this invention, a,sealing machinei is Vials 30"are picked up by spindles 29 before theytraverse the forming blade and are released after they pass the formingblade which is supported in structure 16.

A delivery conveyor 32 is positioned adjacent the path of travel of thespindles 29 for delivering containers to these spindles immediatelybefore they traverse the forming bl'ade'assembly 34 installed instructure 16. An auxiliary means 36, a curved rack, for example, forpreventing slippage between the cap and forming blade is also inchided'in structure 16. A receiving conveyor 38 is disposed inline with thedelivery conveyor 32 and joins the path of travel of the spindles 29substantially immediately after they have traversed the forming bladestructure 34.

Fig. 2 illustrates how the path of travel of the containers 30 throughthis sealing machine occupies a relatively small arc of the 360 arc oftravel of the turntable 14. The conveyors are accordingly arranged in astraight line which greately simplifies the delivery and pick-up'of'containers by and from the spindles 29 as well as facilitating thematerial handling problem.- This substantially straight-line movementavoids the application of severe radial forces to the vials which wouldunduly complicate their pick-up and delivery at the high rotationalspeeds of the turntable which are desirable to yield high productionrates.

Conveyor 32 includes a conveyor belt 40 a conventional structure, andconveyor 38 includes a conveyor belt 42 and other appurtenances also ofconventional structure. A star wheel 44 is provided for transferringvials 30 from delivery conveyor 32 to the pockets or recesses 47provided in locating ring 46 which positions the vials between halves 26and 28 of the spindles 29.

This star wheel 44 is rotated by conventional synj .spindle26 and therotatable plate 92 of the lower spindle chronizing means, for example, ageared transmission, represented by block 200, which synchronizesrotation of the star wheel with the rotation of the turntable 14carrying locating ring 46 so that a vial is positioned in each The blade72 is free to move in a radial direction relative to the turntable byvirtue of the elongated mounting holes 74 provided in the forming bladestructure through which vertical supporting sleeves 76 are inserted. Theblade 72 is resiliently restrained in the radial direction by means ofspring loaded shock absorbers 78 anchored in a stationary verticalmember 80 of the mount 16, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The shockabsorbers 78 are shown as spring loaded studs but may be of anyconventional shock absorbing resilient type. '7 i Fig. 4 shows themanner in which the forming blade is resiliently mounted by means ofspring 82. A stud and nut assembly 84 supports the spring 82, the bladeassembly 34 and sleeve 76. Fig. 4 also illustrates the pocket, notch orrecess 47 of the locating ring by the v star Wheel 44 and associatedcurved guide rail 48.

Vials 30 are delivered to.the lower halves 28 of'the spindles 29 at thelowermost point of the path of mo:

tionof these spindles. These lower spindle halves 28 are raised by camand follower means (later described in detail) to raise the vials withtheir capped necks firmly inserted within the upper spindle portions 26.Vials are accordingly firmly grasped and carried into contact with theforming blade by spindles 29.

Upper spindle halves 26 carry auxiliary means, spur table portion 24 maybe, for example, an aluminum castgears 50, for example, for preventingslippage between the caps and forming blade. Spur gears 50 are installedon the shaft of spindle halves 26 at a common level, above the turntableportion 22, for example. These spur gears engage a curved rack 52,incorporated within structure 1 6. The vials 30 are accordingly rotatedwith their caps in contact with the forming blade 34 which effectivelyrolls or crirnps the lower portion of the skirt of the cap beneath theprotruding lips of the vial (see Fig. 4). After the vial has been sealedby rolling in contact with the forming blade, the lower half 28 of thespindle drops to its lowermost position and the vials 30 are taken offfrom the spindle by curved rail 54'on receiving conveyor '38. Theseauxiliary means are not absolutely essential and may be modified ordispensed with, as is later de 7,

scribed in conjunction with Figs. 9 and 10.

The stationary mount 16 provides adjustment in an upward and'downwarddirection by manipulation of hand wheel 56 and lever 57. Theadjustable structure of mount 16 is later described in detail inconjunction with Figs. 7 and 8. An electric motor 58, which may be ofthe gear reduction type, is ring mounted, for example, to base platestructure 60 within the cabinet 12. This motor 58 drives a shaft 62 towhich the turntable 14 and bonnet 18 are aflixed. Cabinet 12 issupportedoperative position in Fig. 2. In Fig. 3 a segment of the lower half ofthe turntable 24 and the notched ring 46 are shown as they respectivelycarry and position a pair of vials 30 into operative sealing contactwith the working edge 70 of the forming blade 72. The vials 30 areposition of the working edge of the forming blade 72 as it crimps thelower portion 86 of the skirt of deformable cap 88 under the protrudinglip 90 of a vial 30. The vial is shownas it is grasped between the upperFig. 6 shows the details of the turntable and spindle assembly,particularly the operative portions of the spindle 29. Referring -toFig. 6 the shaft 62 passes through the plate of cabinet 12 separatingthe motor portion of, the cabinet from the operative portion of themachine. "The bearing assembly 68 is bolted to the upper" portion ofplate 100. Bearing 68 is a self-aligning'ball bearing including a greasefitting 102. A sleeve 104 is secured by set screw 105, for example,about shaft 62 and provides a suitable groove 106 for receiving steelballs 108 of 'theself-aligning ball bearing 68.

" The lower turntable portion'24 is supported on shaft 62 by the upperedge vofsleeve 104. The lower turning. The lowerturnta ble portion 24 isanchored to the shaft 62', for example, by a key 110 and a suitablekeyway'112. Turntable 24 is maintained in firm contact with the upperhalf of sleeve 104 ,by means of a suitable retaining'ring114 and groove116 in shaft 62. The upper turntableportion 22 is adjustably verticallypositioned upon shaft 62,by means of a screw 118 engaged within athreaded bushing 122 extending through hole in the center of *the 'topof shaft 62. A handwheel 20 is secured to the top of adjusting screw 118by means of a pin 126. The handwheel hub 128 and collar 124 of theadjusting screw118 support between them a plate 130. Theupper shaft 132of the adjusting screw is free to turn through a hole 134 placed in thecenter of the plate 130." The plate 130, therefore, does not rotate asthehandwheel is rotated to raise or lower the bonnet assembly and plate130.

This-plate in turn supports the upper turntable 22 by means of stud andnut assemblies 136 which are anchored in plate 130 and threaded intoholes 138 in the upper' hub 1400f turntable 22. Movement of thehandwheel 20 and adjusting screw 118 upward and downward,therefore,--raises and lowers turntable 22 and bonnet 18 which isfurther secured to the web 142 of turnon adjustable legs 66. 'A bearmgstructure for shaft 62 turntable 22. The lower portion of the shaft 146is supcarried between an upper spindle 26 (not shown) and a lowerspindle 28. The forming blade 72 is resiliently mounted in twodirections as indicated by Figs. 3 and 4.

ported within a ball bearing 154 inserted within a recess in the lowerportion of hole 150. The lower portion of shaft 146 extends through ballbearing 154 and is anchored' to the inverted cup 156 which includes arecess 158 for receiving the top portion of the capped vial 30. vThebase ofthe vial 30 rests onrotatable plate 92 of the lower rotatablespindle assembly 28. Plate 92 is rotatably supported on the topof shaft160 which is rotatably supported by. ball bearing 162 and sleevebearing164. The rotatable shaft 160 is supported within a verticallymovable sleeve assembly 166 which is assembled i Q.- to include acompression spring170'. This incorporated spring 170' allows the sleeveassembly 166 to resiliently compress approximately This provides ashockabsorbing action to prevent severe forces from being applied to avial 30 supported thereon.

An outer sleeve 172-retainss1eeve assembly 166 by means of an internalretaining ring 174 which anchors ball bearing 162 and sleeve assembly166 against the force of spring 170 which bears-in turn against-plug 175which seals the lower end of the sleeve 172. The outer sleeve 172 isurged in a downward vertical direction by means of compression spring176 which bears against the lower surface 178 of the peripheral flange180 of lower turntable 24. The force ofspring 176 is transferred tosleeve 172 by means of'retaining ring 182' provided in the lower portionof sleeve 172.

A horizontal shaft 184' is supported in the lower half of sleeve 172 forrotatably supporting a cam follower or" roller provided, for example, by'ball bearing 186. This ball bearing 186 rides against a cam surface188supported on base plate 100. Cam 188 allows the lower spindle 28 todepress to receivethe vial and raises it as the vial transverses theforming blade areaito firmly grasp the vial between the upper and lowerspindle halves.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate details of the adjustable mount 16. Referringto Fig. 7 the operativeportion of auxiliary means 36 is provided, forexample, by a segment of a curved gear-toothed -rack 52 which may alsobe termed a curved rack 52. Gear teeth-2tl2are cut upon the-surface rack52 adjacent spur gears 50 of spindles 26. Spindle gears 50 accordinglyengage gear teeth 202 as the spindles traverse forming blade area. Thisrotates the bottle caps in contact with the forming blade for a periodat least equal to the full circumference of the cap. The lower skirt orflange of the cap is accordingly crimped or rolled under the projectinglip of the vial. The extent of rolling Contact may, therefore, berestricted to that amount of travel which is required to seal the cap.The period of time the vials spend within the machine is therebyconsiderably conserved and restricted to a short path of substantiallystraight-line motion. Handwheel 5s provides means for raising andlowering blade 72, and lever 57 provides means for raising and loweringrack 52.

Fig. 8 illustrates the manner in which the mount 16 is firmly secured toa stationary portion of the base cabinet 12 and how the handwheel 56 andattached lead screw 210 may move the attached assembly upward ordownward a small amount.

The operative cycle of this machine is simple and straightforward whichis concomitant with its advantageous simplicity of structure. The vials30 are fed to the machine through conveyor 32 with the caps 88 looselyapplied over the protruding lips. Starwheel 44 receives the vials fed bythe conveyor 32 within a corresponding recessed pocket 45. Starwheel 44is rotated in synchronism with the turntable 14 by means of aconventional transmission schematically represented by a rectangle 209.Star-wheel 44 includes upper and lower plates 4% and 51 which lie aboveand below the notched ring 46 so that the vials are evenly guided torest upon plates 92 of the lower rotatable spindle assembly 28. Cam 188is shaped to position the spindles 28 in their lower position as theypick up vials 38 from conveyor 32. Since vials 38 and spindles 29 arenot rotating when the vials 30 are picked up, vials 38 may beconsistently accurately positioned for pick up by means of pockets 47 inplate 46. As the vials are carried towards the forming blade, they areraised by a higher portion of cam 188 which raises the vial lip and capinto firm engagement within the recess 158 within the inverted cupmember 156 of upper spindle 26. Spring 170 absorbs some of the force ofcontact and provides firm yet resilient retention of vials 30.

As spindles 29 and the vials approach the forming blade area, spur gears50 engage the stationary rack 52 toassist the forming blade in rotatingthe spindles; When thegrasped vial 'contacts the forming blade, theskirt ofthe cap rolls along the edge of the forming'blade and is rolled,deformed or crimped under the protruding lipof vials 30 to securely"seal them.

When the caps and lips have rolled along the formingblade a distancesuflicient to seal the containers, spindles 29 and vials 30 leave theforming" blade area and spur gears 50 disengage from stationary gearmeans 52. Cam 188 then slopes downward to drop; spindle portions 28whose downward motion'is limited by'means of retaining rings 204. Sincevials30are disengaged from the upper spindles 26 and the lower spindles28 when-neither is positively rotated, there is no shock applied whichmight require the provision of'complex'retention'means.

Pockets or notches 47 of ring-46 facilitate simple-transfer of vials 30to the conveyor "38 for removal to the next processing area, the packingarea, for'example: Curved rail 54 of conveyor 38hooks each vial 30 at isapproaches and guides the vials on to conveyor38;The'substantialstraight-line motion of the'vials through a short arc oftravel through the machinegreatlyfacilitates delivery of the vials tothe machine'and pick up therefrom. Radial forces on the vialsa'reaccordingly minimized to the point of substantial elimination whichis a decided advantage.

In Fig. 9 is shown aportion of another embodiment of thisinventionwhere' auxiliary'means for preventing slippage are provided byknurled discs 230 mounted'o'n' spindles 26a. These knurled discs 238roll on a resilient shoe 232, of rubber for example, which may bemounted on a curved solid braking member, of steel for example. Shoeelement 232 is accordingly curved to correspond to the arc of travel ofdisc 230.

Auxiliary means for rolling the caps may also be provided by the caps 88and forming blade structure themselves, as shown in Fig. 10. A formingblade 72b includes a roughened working edge 70b. This roughened workingedge 7 db includes, for example, a series of short sharp teeth 228.These teeth 220 engage caps 88 and cause them to rotate as they passalong the forming blade 72b to roll the skirts 86 of caps 88 under theprotruding lips 90 of container 30. Auxiliary means for preventingslippage may be dispensed with to provide an extremely simple sealingmachine. It has been found that the caps are satisfactorily rolled alonga forming blade by pure contact therewith even when the blade is notserrated.

Other modifications and embodiments may be made within the spirit and inaccordance with this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for sealing caps upon containers having protruding lipscomprising a turntable, axially aligned pairs of spindles freelyrotatably mounted about the periphery of said turntable, cam meansoperatively associated with said pairs of spindles for moving themtogether to permit pick-up of said containers and apart to permitdelivery of said containers, a stationary forming blade resilientlymounted in the path of travel of said lips of said containers, saidforming blade being constructed and arranged to promote rotation of saidspindles in response to contact of said caps along the edge of saidblade to seal said caps upon said containers entirely around theirperipheries, said blade being of limited length to free said spindlesfrom enforced rotation for a substantial distance before and after it,said limited length being short enough to make the path of travel ofsaid containers with their caps in contact with said blade substantiallystraight line, conveyor means disposed adjacent the path of travel ofsaid spindles a short distance before and after said blade forrespectively delivering containers to be grasped by said spindles beforetraversal of said forming blade and for receiving containers from saidspindles after traversal of said forming blade while said spindles arenot being rotated by contact of said caps along said blade and saidconveyor means being disposed close enough to 7 both ends of said bladeto permit the entire path of travel of said containers while on saidturntable to be substantially straight line.

2. A' machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein auxiliary means areprovided for preventing slippage when said caps roll along said blade.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein'said aux-' ilary means iscomprised of means incorporated in said forming blade for engaging saidcaps.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said auxiliary means arecomprised of rotatable means incorporated in said spindles andstationary engaging means mounted adjacent the path of travel of saidrotatable means.

5. A machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said rotatable means iscomprised of spur gears and said stationary engaging means is comprisedof a curved rack.

6. A machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said rotatable means arecomprised of knurled discs and said stationary engaging means iscomprised of a shoe. 7. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein alocating ring istmounted on said turntable, and said locating ringincludes open pockets for receiving said containers from said conveyorand for maintaining said containers in position to be grasped by saidspindles and to be picked off by said conveyor.

8. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said forming blade isresiliently mounted upon a structure adjustably secured to said machine.

9. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ma-, chine includes anoperating shaft and said turntable is comprised of upper and lowerportions, said upper portion being secured to the top of saidoperatingshaft by means of a vertically adjustable coupling to permitthe distance between said upper and lower portions to be convenientlyvaried.

10. A machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said conveyor includes astarwheel, said starwheel includes paral-' lel upper and lower plates,and said locating ring is disposed between said upper and lower platesof said star- Wheel.

11. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blade includes ashort relatively smooth arcuate portion peripherally disposed about saidturntable.

12. A machine as set forth in claim 11 wherein said blade includeslimited straight portions disposed on both sides of said arcuate portionand tangential to the path of travel of said spindles about theperiphery of said turntable.

13. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conveyors aredisposed substantially in a straight line and aligned with each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

